Everyone ready to finish their shopping?

Valerie: Eventually. I'm rather enjoying the girl time.

Daphne: Me too.

Lauren: I'm just glad to be out of the house without Mick hovering over me.

(We open with the girls walking out of the toy aisles. Emma, Daphne, and Valerie have bags full of toy boxes and cartons.)

Emma: I hope Katie likes these dolls and the fire truck.

Valerie: I'm sure she'll be fine, Em. I bought Jordan stuffed animals and his Hot Wheels track.

Emma: How about Lizzie? Lots of horse toys?

Daphne: Of course.

Emma: Let's go to the sports section next. Mike's idea of a sport is contact poker, but Katie wants a football.

Valerie: Jordan wants a baseball and glove, so he can train with Katie and maybe even get on the Little League team his daddy coaches someday.

Emma: Does Micky need any baseballs or basketballs?

Lauren: We've got them already.

Valerie: And I imagine you'll be getting anything for Davy from ranches, Daph. They don't sell things for jockeys in a department store.

Daphne: *Nods* Yeah, matter of fact, I've already got a few things they're holding for me.

Emma: (As they walk over to the racks filled with balls of various sizes, gloves, bats, and other sports accessories) Katie can't wait until she's old enough to play sports, like her mama, aunts, and nana did when they were kids. She's been trying to teach Robbie how to throw, but I think he's still too small. His hand can't grasp the ball right.

*The tall woman in white and the man in black enter the aisle, checking out the camping gear at the end of the aisle.*

(She nudges him and points at the sleeping bags. Wouldn't they be cozy?)

*The man nods, grinning. He wraps an arm around her waist and tugs her to him.*

Emma: Boy, are those two into each other.

Valerie: At least he doesn't have to try to stand on ice here.

Daphne: *Chuckles* Yeah, he's standing much better now.

Lauren: I wonder how they met. He hasn't been here very long.

Emma: I guess he works fast.

Daphne: That would be my guess, too.

Valerie: (As she pulls out a small baseball glove) I wonder if they're going to meet Al and his lady friend?

Emma: Maybe we'll see them in the Tea Room.

Valerie: He doesn't strike me as the Tea Room type.

Lauren: Me, either. Looks more like the bar room type.

Valerie: (She holds out a glove to Lauren) What do you think? Right size for Jordan?

Lauren: *Turns the glove over* Yeah, I think so.

Daphne: *Looks over Lauren's shoulder* I think so, too.

Emma: (Points over her shoulder as Valerie puts the glove under her arm and admires softballs) Look at what those two are doing now!

(Brian and his date are sitting in the tent display, lip-locked and two seconds from making out right then and there.)

Lauren: I'll be darned.

Daphne: Didn't Micky talk you into that one time, Lauren?

Lauren: Well, yes, but it was the sporting goods store and it wasn't as busy there.

Emma: (Sees them leaning further into the tent) Um, I think we'd better leave them alone. He's unbuttoning her shirt.

Valerie: Let's get out of there, before they either see us...or someone calls security.

Lauren: For once, we had nothing to do with this.

Emma: Yeah, but if we wanted to watch people take their clothes off, there's a theater on Palm that shows X-rated movies.

Daphne: Or we borrow Micky's stash.

*Lauren nods, blushing.*

Valerie: Why don't we go to the junior and women's department next? I need to shop for Chrissy.

Lauren: Gladly.

Emma: (Nods) And I want to get something special for my sister Rose. She announced her first pregnancy in October.

Daphne: *Jerks a thumb at the tent; there's interesting noises coming from it* Lets get out of here.

Valerie: Uh, yeah.

(They make their way out hastily.)

(Cut to the Junior section. Valerie and Daphne are looking over the perfumes and cosmetics, while Lauren browses through purses and scarves behind them. Emma can be seen in the background, half-hidden by racks of maternity clothes.)

Valerie: I want to find something nice for Chrissy. Not too fussy, but feminine. She's been a tomboy for so long, she's only now just beginning to notice guys.

Valerie: (Shows Daphne a bottle) What do you think of this one?

Daphne: Oh, I like that one! A nice scent without being too strong.

Valerie: Now, we just need to find the sales women...oh, that must be them! (Points to two women, one small and dark-haired, one taller and lighter-haired. The latter has an "L" on her long purple dress.) Hello over there!

Saleswoman #1: (She elbows her friend) Hey, we got customers!

Valerie: Yes, you do.

Saleswoman #1: Can we help you, ma'am?

Valerie: Yes, you can. I'd like you to wrap this. (She hands her the bottle of perfume)

Saleswomen #1: Oooh, this is a good one! (Leans over and sniffs it deeply, then hands it to her friend) Smell that! It's real good, like...I dunno, lavender or somethin'.

Valerie: Yeah...and I would like it back eventually.

Saleswoman #1: (To her friend) Come on, she wants it back! We could buy our own, if the guys don't break all the bottles when they finally get their rear ends in here.

Valerie: The boys... (looks at Daphne, then at the girls) Um, I think we saw them in the toy aisle.

Saleswoman #1: What, they buyin' GI Joes for their collection again?

Daphne: No, they brought some of their own.

Saleswomen #1: I hope they didn't blow up anythin'. They get real carried away when they play War. (Turns to her friend) Remember the last time we went out on a date, and they brought those little army guys with them to keep them amused while they were waitin' for dinner?

Saleswoman #2: Oh, no...

Saleswoman #1: Took me ten minutes to explain to the guy behind us why he had a little plastic army man parachute into his soup.

Valerie: Um, I'll take your word for it. Can I have the perfume bottle back?

Saleswoman #1: (Grabs the bottle) Shirl, give it back! The lady wants it!

Valerie: Ladies, you're making a scene...

Daphne: Oh dear.

Saleswoman #1: Come on Shirl, I'll get it for you for Christmas!

Saleswoman #2: I thought you were gonna wrap it for her.

Saleswoman #1: I am gonna wrap it for her! Just give it to me. You can try it on later, when no one's lookin'.

(She finally pulls it away and goes over to the gift wrap desk next to the cash register. It's laden with fancy gold and cream wrapping paper and ribbon.)

Saleswoman #1: Here's what you can do. I'll wrap this one, you use the sample one on the display to ring it up for her.

Saleswoman #2: Fine, Vernie.

Valerie: (Raises her eyebrows as Vernie somehow manages to get her hand tangled in tape) These two are certainly an...interesting...pair, aren't they?

Daphne: *Whispers to Valerie* They seem as nutty as their boyfriends.

Valerie: Yeah. Talk about matches made in heaven.

Saleswoman #1: (Hands them the now-wrapped box with one hand while trying to shake off the last of the tape with the other) Here's your purchase, ma'am.

Daphne: Here... *pulls the tape from her hand*

Saleswoman #1: Thanks, miss. I think someone put industrial-strength glue on that or somethin', 'cause it wouldn't come off. (Hands Valerie the wrapped box as Valerie hands the other saleswoman the money)

Valerie: Well, I think we'd best be going now. (She shakes her head as she and Daphne leave the two arguing over where their boyfriends might be) Good lord, what a pair they are!

Emma: (She joins them with another bag) I found some shirts for Rose. How did you guys do?

Valerie: I bought perfume for Chrissy, once we got it away from the salesladies.

Emma: Find anything, Lauren?

Valerie: Some of those little girl dresses were awfully cute. I almost wish I had a girl to dress up.

Lauren: *Shrugs* I didn't really find anything. Neither Shelly nor Leah are fond of dresses. Guess whom they picked that up from?

Emma: Katie will wear them when she has to without complaint, but I think she'd rather be in pants.

Valerie: (Looks at her watch) We still have a little while before lunchtime. Why don't we browse through the store? We could hit the electronics section next.

Daphne: Sounds good to me.

(An instrumental "Joy to the World" plays as the women continue their shopping. They do indeed hit the electronics next. Emma admires the new cassette and 8-track stereos for Mike and children's record players for Katie.)

(Valerie browses through the records, pulling out ones for Peter...and herself.)

(Emma nudges Lauren. What are you going to get Mick? A cassette player? Some new records?)

*Lauren motions to the records.*

(Emma grins and nods. Gonna get him anything for his chemistry set?)

*Lauren shakes her head.*

(Emma grins. Safer for the world at large.)

(We next head to the appliances. Emma and Lauren pass by two men arguing over whether or not a new stove could cook baked yak hooves properly.)

*Lauren tells Emma she's getting kinda hungry.*

(Emma makes a face. She can't believe that talk of baked yak hooves would make even a pregnant woman hungry.)

(Valerie looks carefully at various casserole dishes, wondering which one would be good for Peter to roast vegetables in.)

(Emma sighs, wistfully admiring pots and pans. She could use some...but not today.)

(Valerie shows a set of colorful linen to Daphne. It almost looks tie-dyed. She thinks Peter will love it.)

*Daphne nods. Definitely! Matter of fact, she might get a couple of those for the Abbies, too.*

(Emma tugs on Lauren and points to the shelves next to them, where the larger roaster pans are. Al and his girlfriend inspect the pans and gadgets there, looking for the best ones.)

*Lauren points out, though, that Al seems more interested in his girlfriend than the pans.*

(Valerie and Emma head for the music area, looking for instruments and sheet music for their men and their children who love music. They see the band from the day before admiring new instruments and testing them for the best smashing points.)

*Lauren and Daphne head to the lunch counter, where they’re greeted by the strains of an accordion. They find a fellow with long curly hair and wearing a crazy-patterned shirt playing the afore-mentioned instrument. A blond, curly-haired man sits on the ground next to him, drumming on a suitcase.*

(Emma passes by a Dickens Village set up on the third floor, with people dressed in Victorian costumes singing carols against backdrops that are supposed to look like actual buildings. One of the cheekier men sticks his tongue out at her as she passes, but when she turns around, he's angelic again.)

(Cut to the outside of the Tea Room as the song ends. The four women meet at the entrance, their arms laden with packages.)

Valerie: I think we were rather successful this morning ladies.

Emma: I only have a few things I need to pick up downtown.

Daphne: I'd say so.

Valerie: How about you, Lauren? You finished your shopping?

Lauren: Yeah. I already had some of it done, and now I'm really done.

Emma: I love these big old department stores. A lot of the ones in South Jersey have been closing down. You can find everything here...and they're so much more elegant than the malls!

Valerie: (Nods) There used to be a couple of family-owned local department stores in LA. Most of them are gone now, either bought by larger chains or just shut down.

Hostess: (She's one of the college girls seen in the skating segment, a pretty, round lass of medium height in a pink waitress' outfit and white gloves; her long, dark hair has a striking white streak) Hi, ya'll. Let me seat ya, and we'll get you started on the tea and sandwiches.

Valerie: Thank you, dear. (They follow her to a table set up near the window, which shows a lovely view of downtown Malibu Beach...including the boys' Christmas decorations)

Emma: (Nods at the view) The boys did quite a job with the downtown decorations, didn't they?

Daphne: They sure did.

Valerie: Lauren, was the Mayor terribly angry about all the lights on City Hall and the big sign almost falling down?

Lauren: Well...

Emma: How long did he yell at Mick?

Lauren: Let’s just say he had a sore throat afterwards.

Valerie: Well, Peter told me they did try to warn Mick about overdoing it.

Lauren: And they should know that Micky does not listen.

Valerie: (As they make their orders for the little dark-haired waitress in another pink uniform) I'm almost afraid of what they're going to be buying us for Christmas this year. I've seen them shop.

Emma: Me too. It's scary.

Valerie: Peter tries to buy anything that looks handmade or books...

Emma: ...And Mike buys whatever's cheap and looks good.

Valerie: Davy and Micky shopping together... (Shudders)

Lauren and Daphne: Scary.

(The waitresses bring them their cups of tea and tea sandwiches and cookies. Emma smiles.)

Emma: Lauren, have you tried talking to Micky about letting you do some things while pregnant?

Lauren: Until I was blue in the face. *sighs*

Emma: What does he say?

Lauren: He says that he worries about me...and then I turn into mush.

Emma: The big, innocent eyes and everything?

Lauren: Yup.

Valerie: Doesn't that just kill you? I get it from Peter, too.

Emma: Mike doesn't bother. He knows it doesn't work on me.

Valerie: (Looks at her watch) Maybe we'd better get going if we want to hit downtown. I have an appointment for work later this afternoon.

Emma: I have to meet Mike and the kids at home - he's going to pick them up.

Valerie: Are you ladies done with your sandwiches?

Emma: I am.

Daphne: I am.

Lauren: Me, too.

Emma: Let's head out, ladies.

Valerie: Oh, look. (Points - it's Brian and his women, now hastily climbing out of the tent and getting dressed...or at least, she is. He's being dragged by Officer Howlett.) I think they got caught.

(All four women run out of the department store giggling as we fade out on Officer Howlett shaking his finger at Brian and his girlfriend. He looks annoyed. She looks amused, even as she buttons her blouse.)